Cleaning a chain
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Cleaning a chain
Postby wannaberoadie » Sun Jul 15, 2012 10:51 am
Interested in your thoughts on what you clean your chains with. I use mineral spirits on a rag and run the chain through my fingers. I told the LBS and they freak out about how that's bad for chains and your gear. Spending big bucks on a cleaning solution seems crazy.
What cleaning products do you use?
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby g-boaf » Sun Jul 15, 2012 10:56 am
And then re-lube the chain with Rock N Roll Gold.
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby mitzikatzi » Sun Jul 15, 2012 11:01 am
Oh Yippy! A chain lube thread. Bacon Fat for me. It's the best.
Type of Chain Lubricants (Polls)
what degreaser do you use when cleaning your chain and cassette
Thanks "search"
Sheldons view
This is how I clean my chainThe bottom line is that the best products for cleaning and lubricating bicycle chains are the simplest and cheapest, kerosene or mineral spirits to clean, and chainsaw oil or foaming chain lube to lubricate. Don't waste money on fancy cleaners and lubricants.
The ShelBroCo Bicycle Chain Cleaning System
- Mulger bill
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby Mulger bill » Sun Jul 15, 2012 11:55 am
Oh yeah! Hardcore!mitzikatzi wrote:This is how I clean my chain
The ShelBroCo Bicycle Chain Cleaning System
Bacon fat makes a great lube for two reasons. 1, you get to eat the bacon. 2, it improves your fitness immensely because you have to outsprint all the dogs that want to lick your chain.
But seriously folks...
Connex link, kero, tub and an old toothbrush,. Scrub and swish. (filter and reuse the kero) Dribble Purple Extreme over the top and all is good.
London Boy 29/12/2011
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby mitzikatzi » Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:25 pm
4. relube chain.
For a quick on bike chain clean this is the best method I have used.
Motorcycle Chain Cleaner and Degreaser
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby HappyHumber » Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:44 pm
It's not crazy to your LBS. "Profitable" is a better word, I'd say. Hence their feigned, though well practiced, horror.wannaberoadie wrote:Spending big bucks on a cleaning solution seems crazy.
Please, search and read on these and other forums. There's a myriad of difference techniques & potions (Both $$$ and DIY) for cleaning your chains all pretty well documented already. Read up, try a couple.... work out which ones best for you. Live and let live. Do unto others....
arrgh... it's like bringing up religion or politics at dinner parties.
time for a ride I think.
Hit me up via the BNA dm; I'll get an alert. If y'know, you know.
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby usernameforme » Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:42 pm
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby yarravalleyplodder » Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:24 pm
parktool chain cleaning tool and a 5l bottle of degreaser from auto barn does the trick
re-lube with R&R Gold
2012 Fuji Nevada 2.0
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby arand18 » Sun Jul 15, 2012 4:00 pm
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby mrs slocombe's pussy » Sun Jul 15, 2012 4:16 pm
you'll find that chain manufacturers do not recommend the use of degreasers, solvents etc as it removes the manufacturers original lubricant from the rollers. in effect you are flushing out superior lubricant and replacing it with an inferior product.
simply use a rag to wipe down the chain, apply lube, wait a few minutes for it to soak into the rollers and then wipe away any excess form the chain surface.
it shouldn't take much more than 5 minutes.
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby liquor box » Sun Jul 15, 2012 5:12 pm
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby human909 » Sun Jul 15, 2012 5:45 pm
A simple wipedown and relube is generally all thats needed. Though if you have a gunked up chain from half a decade of use on and off road then degreaser does wonders!
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby il padrone » Sun Jul 15, 2012 6:41 pm
Ride the chain on the original manufacturer's lube for as long as possible. When it gets dirty or begins to squeal/grind I wipe it clean with a rag then give it a dose of Purple Extreme lube (this lube does not attract dirt, stays on during wet conditions and lasts for ~600kms). You only need to apply this very sparingly . When it begins to grind again I repeat this process.. Been good on two rotated chains for the past 7000kms or so.
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby NhiTrac » Sun Jul 15, 2012 7:53 pm
However I had to use the whole can and at $20 a can, it'll be super expensive to keep it up. So while nice, I might just stick to the traditional cleaning methods
BMC Teammachine SLR01
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby usernameforme » Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:58 pm
What black magic is this? my chains only last me 5000km and I think I take great care of it...il padrone wrote:Recent approach.... I don't clean it
*SNIP*
Been good on two rotated chains for the past 7000kms or so.
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby il padrone » Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:53 pm
Two things:usernameforme wrote:What black magic is this? my chains only last me 5000km and I think I take great care of it...
1. 7000kms divided by two chains = ~3500kms each. I reckon I might get 6-7000kms each, more if I want to run the drivetrain till it's toast.
2. Running on a Rohloff IGH so no shift-related wear
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby jacks1071 » Sun Jul 15, 2012 11:47 pm
I havn't "cleaned" my chain since changing to the Rock N Roll oils.wannaberoadie wrote:Hi guys,
Interested in your thoughts on what you clean your chains with. I use mineral spirits on a rag and run the chain through my fingers. I told the LBS and they freak out about how that's bad for chains and your gear. Spending big bucks on a cleaning solution seems crazy.
What cleaning products do you use?
With this stuff, you put it on until its dripping off the chain, then you wipe off as much as you possibly can. Clean and lube done in the one go - it works so well that even when I wash the bike I don't bother to get the kero and my paint brush out to clean the chain with.
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby liquor box » Mon Jul 16, 2012 1:03 pm
the environment is the least of my concerns, I use the citrus as I dont want a harsh degreaser to ruin the paint on my bikehuman909 wrote:Citris degreaser seems silly when a simply solvent degrease does the job far better. Don't fall into the trap in thinking that citris degrease is somehow more natural or better for the environment.
A simple wipedown and relube is generally all thats needed. Though if you have a gunked up chain from half a decade of use on and off road then degreaser does wonders!
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Cleaning a chain
Postby kb » Mon Jul 16, 2012 1:47 pm
This is going to sound strange but I find I get less mozzies around the bike with citrus degreaser.liquor box wrote: the environment is the least of my concerns, I use the citrus as I dont want a harsh degreaser to ruin the paint on my bike
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby human909 » Mon Jul 16, 2012 5:01 pm
Which any basic hydrocarbon solvent won't!liquor box wrote:the environment is the least of my concerns, I use the citrus as I dont want a harsh degreaser to ruin the paint on my bike
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby wombatK » Mon Jul 16, 2012 6:49 pm
That's just wasting it. Should take no more than 2 ml - or roughly 1 drop every two or three links, less if just re-oilingjacks1071 wrote: With this stuff, you put it on until its dripping off the chain, then you wipe off as much as you possibly can.
rather than starting from a cleaned chain.
Cheers
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby zero » Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:53 pm
Unfortunately I've suffered from speedo failures that interrupted my experimental chain lifespans, but there seems to be no real drawback in terms of lifespan for chain caring for this way for one of my frequently wet in commuting chains, and its a hell of a lot less fussy than removing and kerobathing a chain. RRG doesn't crud up particularly thickly and the process gets rid of a lot of it, and leaves the chain well lubed.wombatK wrote:That's just wasting it. Should take no more than 2 ml - or roughly 1 drop every two or three links, less if just re-oilingjacks1071 wrote: With this stuff, you put it on until its dripping off the chain, then you wipe off as much as you possibly can.
rather than starting from a cleaned chain.
Cheers
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby HiChris » Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:13 pm
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby jacks1071 » Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:05 pm
Citrius degreaser is nasty stuff, I wouldn't put it anywhere near my bike.liquor box wrote:the environment is the least of my concerns, I use the citrus as I dont want a harsh degreaser to ruin the paint on my bikehuman909 wrote:Citris degreaser seems silly when a simply solvent degrease does the job far better. Don't fall into the trap in thinking that citris degrease is somehow more natural or better for the environment.
A simple wipedown and relube is generally all thats needed. Though if you have a gunked up chain from half a decade of use on and off road then degreaser does wonders!
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Re: Cleaning a chain
Postby markrhino » Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:09 pm
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